The Imperial Interregnum
The Imperial Interregnum was the period between the destruction of Byss and the consolidation of the Empire within the Outer Rim, and the seperation of the Imperial Core from the Empire. It covered the modification of the Imperial state from the old system into the new, and saw the Galactic Empire modified to face its new circumstances. The Factioning of Empire After the final death of the Emperor, the Imperial Ruling Council declared itself to be commander of the Empire, under Carnor Jax, the Sith apprentice of Lumiya, their position shored up by Scarev Quest. Several commanders disagreed, Warlord Harrsk and High Admiral Harrsk declaring control of their own assets along the width and breadth of the Empire. In this confusion, the Imperial Navy retreated from Coruscant and the Core, even the shipyards at Corellia abandoning the Empire. To compound matters, Teradoc abandoned a chunk of the Mid Rim, retreating into the Deep Core. By the time the Empire resumed control, the combined Imperial factions controlled more than a third of the galaxy, a salient of control under the Empire running from Yag'Dhul to Toola through Devaron, Carida and Phaeda, while Harrsk consolidated control of fortress worlds in the Atravis and Kwymar Sectors, as well as at Bilbringi and territory near the Senex. The Pentastar Alignment resecured control of portions of the Outer Rim. The Empire thus evolved into a multi-faction conglomerate, primarily around Harrsk, Teradoc, the Ruling Council and the Alignment, with a dozen other smaller factions. Relations between the factions ranged from hostile to neutral, and the Ruling Council made efforts to unite the Empire, and conceal their treachery - they had poisoned the late Emperor, resulting in his death. Consolidating and Distractions Carnor Jax focused upon decimating the Royal Guards, and destroyed the Prophets of the Dark Side. The last surviving Royal Guard - Kir Kanos - survived, and drew the focus of the two Sith, as the most likely to ruin their plans. The Empire consolidated, while the New Republic refocused on the depradations of Admiral Daala. Engagements at Dantooine and Battle of Mon Calamari saw Daala's threat weakened, and eventually the distraction proved deadly, with the Sun Crusher destroying Carida and a key shipyard in the Deep Core. The Empire reeled, though the Jedi managed to deal with the Sun Crusher, and the New Republic captured Kessel and the Maw. The Empire had still not found Kanos, and suddenly the New Republic refocused. In a whirlwind of events the New Republic attacked Phaeda, capturing the system, and Jax was killed at Yinchorr by Kanos. The Empire was suddenly without a leader, and the Council focused internally, moving against Quest. The Council began to renew it's control of the Empire - but Quest wasn't finished yet. Attempted Coup Quest freed up his son, Irek, who Quest had suggested was the Emperor's son. His mother, a former Emperor's Hand named Roganda Ismaren, began assembling contacts with the Senex sector and former Sith Lord Garonnin, creating alliances with Harrsk and several companies, including SoruSuub. The plot revolved around the Eye of Palpatine, a battlemoon with the power to destroy a planet. The scheme caught the eye of the New Republic, Luke Skywalker foiling the plot before the Council had chance to counter its mechanations. They were, in tandem with Daala, focused on reunifying the Empire entirely, at least in a confederation of some kind. The Offensive is Renewed Daala met with thirteen of the strongest warlords at Tsoss Beacon, killing them, and restoring Imperial control of much of the military. To strengthen them further, she began taking on nonhuman members into the military, those species joining the Council. Daala and Pellaeon launched a massive offensive with the Empire from the Knight Hammer, leading 45 Imperial Star Destroyers and 112 Victory Star Destroyers on a campaign of destruction, resulting in the disastrous Battle of Yavin 4. However, the Ruling Council, now firmly in control of the Empire, found itself targeted by a Black Sun scheme based on Genon, and suffering the depradations of Kir Kanos. After the Battle of Yavin destroyed the Knight Hammer and saw Pellaeon take command of the Imperial Navy, Pellaeon made efforts to abandon the Deep Core and consolidate strength in the Outer Rim. However, as the Council fractured so too did the Empire, Baron D'Asta seceding from the Empire, taking with him a sector and his private navy. Redistribution As Pellaeon moved his forces rimward, affirming links between the rim fortress worlds and the Pentastar Alignment, the New Republic was engaged by the Empire Reborn, distracting the Jedi with its own lunge at Yavin. However, Pellaeon was distracted by the last spluttering of the Imperial Civil War, as the Ruling Council was disbanded by the newly declared Emperor Carivus, and nonhumans evicted from the Empire's offices. As the consolidation of the Empire was providing massive amounts of material and manpower, Pellaeon paid it no heed, but when D'Asta - in league with Kanos - advanced on the Imperial capital of Ord Cantrell to secure his daughter, the Battle of Ord Cantrell saw Pellaeon lose his flagship - the Firestorm - fighting Imperials. Peace was restored, but the New Republic advanced, capturing the Ruling Council. Happy to simply be rid of the politicians, administrative power shifted to the Moff Council, which had labored beneath the Ruling Council since the reaffirming of Empire. The subsequent loss of Yag'Dhul, Devaron and Toola were casualties the Empire could afford, as it was too taxed to cross the gap between the Outer Rim and Colonies anyway. Pellaeon took this last smattering of internal conflict and took the initiative, launching the Orinda Campaign, which secured Orinda from the New Republic in a massive propaganda victory. While the remaining loose ends from the Ruling Council's demise had cost Pellaeon badly - and continued to cost him as Kanos' vendetta became linked to the Battle of Dathomir - the Moff Council settled in its new position as the legislature of the Empire, and Pellaeon as Supreme Commander, a status quo which would remain for the next several decades. The transformation from the old Empire to the new was begun. Legacy The movement of Imperial power to the Outer Rim split the Empire's territories between the extreme rim and the Deep Core, and eventually split command of the Empire, with the remaining Imperial warlords in the area unified under a returned Daala into the Imperial Core. The Core went on to engage the New Republic in its own campaigns, working with Pellaeon's Empire at times. When the Rim Empire suffered a terrible blow at the Battle of Anx Minor, the Imperial Remnant signed peace accords, while the Imperial Core continued to fight for six more years. The Moff Council, imbued with the powers of the Imperial Ruling Council as its direct successor, eventually declared Fel I as the new Emperor, giving birth to a second Empire. This Empire went on to restore Imperial prominence, conquering the galaxy during the Sith-Imperial War.